Pope Francis made a brief Easter Sunday appearance, reiterating his call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. The 88-year-old pontiff, still recovering from pneumonia, appeared on the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica to deliver the “Urbi et Orbi” message, which is traditionally given twice a year.
In his message, read aloud by an aide, the pope condemned the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, describing the situation as “dramatic and deplorable.” He appealed to both Israel and Hamas to agree to a ceasefire and release hostages, emphasizing the suffering of both the Israeli and Palestinian people.
“I express my closeness to the sufferings of all the Israeli people and the Palestinian people,” the pope said in the message. “I appeal to the warring parties: call a ceasefire, release the hostages and come to the aid of a starving people that aspires to a future of peace.”
The pope’s Easter remarks come after Hamas rejected Israel’s proposal for a temporary ceasefire, instead demanding a deal to end the war in exchange for the release of hostages. The conflict, which began with Hamas’ October 7 attack in 2023, has seen heavy casualties on both sides, with over 51,000 Palestinians killed in the ongoing Israeli offensive.
Pope Francis’ appearance was a rare public outing following his recovery from a five-week hospital stay. Earlier on Sunday, he held a brief meeting with U.S. Vice President JD Vance, who is visiting Italy for the weekend.